


Spiral around (rewrite)

by othersin



Category: Undertale
Genre: Anxiety, Depression, F/F, F/M, Hatred, Horror, M/M, Postpartum Depression, Psychological Horror, Spiral!sans, Spiral!tale, Suicide Attempt, Undertale AU, drug overdose, junji ito inspired, what if sans fell into the void
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-06
Updated: 2017-09-18
Packaged: 2018-12-24 16:30:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12016653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/othersin/pseuds/othersin
Summary: Rewrite. There will be things kept but more new things added – as a warning this will have pretty dark (darker than before) themes, drug overdose, depression, anxiety, madness, hatred, postpartum depression and some pretty messed up imagery.What if sans was the one who fell into the void, pulling Gaster out of the way just in time with his magic -and it was Gaster who was looking after Papyrus all these years, working hard to save Sans with the machine and resets…but would there be anything left to save?Gaster is left battling his own depression, the stress of raising Papyrus as a single father - his other son lost to the timelines, remaining sane working in the same lab that took sans away from him….It doesn’t help that he keeps seeing a disfigured shadow of “Sans”, following him around - an illusion caused by his survivors’ guilt? Or was it something more…He can’t lose another son, he can’t.





	1. Is it rolling?

 

 

* * *

The darkened lab was eerily lit; the plants in the pots that once brought a comforting life to this sterile feeling environment had all but shrivelled up under the lack of care of the abandoned lab – but still the cries of mysterious monsters still echoed in the deep bowls of the hidden lab, the poor unfortunate souls falling into secrets and lost stories like the very halls they stumbled, stalked and oozed though.

The quietness of this atmosphere was stifling, and made the static noise of a distant TV being turned on was more noticeable in the empty rooms and halls. Following the noise would lead an explorer or even a curious child to a room filled with cabinets with shiny black bricks of another era – old cassettes to play on the large TV and VHS player.

Though the static, a loud click resounded on the TV – the colour of the image bloomed outwards, revealing a tall skeleton in a lab coat, his glasses resting on the bridge of his nose and it seemed like it was stuck on his skull to stop it from slipping from his smooth bone.

_“Greetings, my name is Doctor Gaster – and welcome to your first day in the lab-”_ The cassette skipped, the training video switching to a sleepy looking skeleton holding a bundle in a white room; the image was shaky like it was from a hand held video camera.

_“Wing dings, must you take a video now?” An airy voice said, sounding tired – she had a soft but tired smile on her face._

_“But have you seen such a beautiful baby, Helvetica...?” The same voice from the instruction video sounded out, sounding so happy and lively._

_“No, I suppose not.” Helvetica closed her sockets letting her smile shine through, the warmth and glow she seemed to emit was felt though even though the curves of the TV screen._

_“But Sans is going to be here tomorrow – you can film us tomorrow...” Helvetica yawned, closing her sockets to rest after such a long labour._

_“Yes, we will continue tomorrow -“_ Gaster began only to be cut off again, returning to the static lab and the professional expression standing in fount of a large machine,

“As a new employee of the CORE – you will be helping us to maintain the everyday running of the very power source that keeps the Underground power supply till we finally break free from the Underground.” Gaster grinned at the camera, “We are what keep the Underground running, till our great king Asgore collects enough human souls to break the barrier-”

The video skipped again, a personal home video being recorded over the orientation video.

_“Sans, this is the stars...” Gaster explained; pointing at a dangling mobile over the crib – the baby was staring wide socketed at the mobile that his father set up, gurgling happily and reaching for the cloth stars that Gaster had cut out of an old yellow shirt of his, “Daddy will show you real stars soon...”_

_“What does mummy think of the stars?” Gaster turned to his wife, turning the camera to the quiet skeleton in the room; she was sitting in the nursery – staring out from the window into Snowdin. Her skull blank and dim, she was not as lively as she once was. Not as beautiful, the hateful nagging voice in Gaster’s mind sneered at the image her slight frame portrayed – he felt horrid for even thinking like that._

_“They will never compare to the real ones...” Was all Helvetica said on the matter, the camera lingered for a moment on her but turned back to the little baby bones in a little blue pant suit._

More static, and the image shifted back to Dr Gaster and his smiling crew.

“Even though we will surely be able to gain our freedom soon under the guidance of our wise king, we all must work together to make the best of this situation.” Gaster grinned at the cameras audience, giving the viewer the thumbs up, “I look forward to work together to a better world.”

The image stayed for a moment, Gaster’s grin falling at the distant sound of another monster saying of screen- perhaps the one behind the camera, “And that’s a wrap.”

“Excellent, time to get back to work everyone – thanks Grillby. “ Gaster grinned to the camera man, who gave a flaming thumb up.

_The image skipped and was returned to Helvetica lying on a bed, her second child lay in her lap while she stared at the sleeping baby – the way she stared at the little one though._

_“Let’s call him Papyrus.”_

_“...” Helvetica was quiet, far too quiet._

_“Honey...Hela?”,Gaster questioned her softly, warily._

_“Whatever you want Wing dings...” She closed her sockets and turned her head away from her new born. Before Gaster could ask her if she was alright or upset with anything, the door creaked open – a toddler stumbled in excitedly with Toriel looking apologetic at the doctor._

_“Sans” Gaster said cheerfully at his eldest son though the camera, “Guess what?”_

_“Dada?” the little child asked eyes as round and blue as his wife’s._

_“You’re a big brother now, so hello to Papyrus!” Gaster picked up the sleeping babe from his wife’s lap, her hands limp as she stared out the window again, showing the waddling toddler – eyes turning into stars as he waved at the sleepy baby._

The video fizzled one last time to an older, more worn down Dr Gaster sitting in the lab, the tall skeleton was slumped in a chair – no longer surrounded by his lab assistants, abandoned by everyone.

“I cannot let them know...” Gaster clenched his hands, “This is the private recording of Dr Wing ding Gaster, and if you are watching this... you must have found my error in my files.”

Gaster seemed to take a moment to find his voice, his thoughts heavy and running a mile a minute.

“I’m sorry, everyone had so many high expectations...everyone believed the king would be able to...” Gaster paused, so much pain in his face and voice.

“I wanted to show Helvetica, Sans and Papyrus the beauty of the star filled sky.” Gaster’s breath hitched, “My darling Helvetica...why didn’t you talk to me? I could’ve helped you – you weren’t alone, you were never alone...”

The video skipped again, switching to Gaster filming Sans and Papyrus playing

_“Let’s get Mummy to play with us” Gaster asked his children._

_“Yea!” Sans cheered while Papyrus gurgled, clapping his hands together. Gaster turned the camera to the other skeleton sitting on the kitchen, glowing blue tears flowed down her face – upon noticing the camera she covered her face and hissed out._

_“Don’t film me!”_

_“Hela...?” Gaster asked gently, the camera being turned away from the sobbing woman – the cries could be heard still on the audio with quite questions from Sans, asking why mummy is sad again._

The image cut back to the sobbing doctor, in his lonesome lab – it took a while to regain his self.

“I’m sorry.” He wiped his sockets, “There was an error in my estimation of the lifespan of the CORE, it was created with the timeframe of the human souls being acquired in five years...that timeline may have been too ambitious.”

“My pride and ego have set the CORE in an unstoppable and unpredictable force of destruction – it is a daily struggle to keep it stable, it should not have been active as long as it has been.” Gaster continued, “It will continue to spiral down to its rawest form of antimatter; it will collapse on itself, I don’t know when it will but it will.”

Gaster paused looking directly at the camera,

“I’m sorry I wasn’t a better scientist, I’m sorry I wasn’t a better husband and I’m sorry I wasn’t a better father.”

The TV finally sparked, turning off – the spark had to do with the slimy tail of blackened water dripping though a crack in the wall, hitting the socket. Silence filled the lab once again, as it should always be – the sadness and woe of those who have fallen still chill the air and oppress the few that still wander the halls.

 

* * *

 

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	2. I hear the beast in the walls again

* * *

Papyrus found himself staring at the picture of a grinning skeleton woman standing by his father’s side, still only young he couldn’t really remember her well – passing away when he was still little. But she seemed warm and kind, the odd feeling in his soul returned whenever he saw her smiling round face.

She looked a little like the imaginary friend he had drawn when he was little, with his father still unconscious from the blast at the lab - leaving Grillby as his guardian till the other was well enough to go home with his son. Grillby had to keep the bar open, but he often left the kitchen to check up on the small skeleton – at least the patrons of the bar were very considerate to the skeleton as well, if they weren’t, there would be hell to pay from the flaming bar owner.

* * *

 

_After visiting his father, who was now awake though still dazed, he and Grillby went to start their day at the bar.  When finished helping the flaming monster in cleaning and prepping, he was then left to draw in one of the spare booths of Grillby’s bar with paper and crayons with a tall milkshake and two spider donuts._

_“Who’s that standing next to your father and you?” Grillby asked, clearing away the empty glass the skeleton had finished – the last dregs of the bar were slowly dragging themselves out. Papyrus had a half-eaten donut in his hand and a milk moustache, Grillby quirked a smile at the mess – moving to wipe the others skull in a nurturing and even father like way._

_Grillby had always been around as far as Papyrus could recall the happy pictures of a female skeleton and his father seemed to disappear from the walls and was replaces by newer pictures of the flaming monster. Grillby didn’t show it visibly, but Papyrus knew he was just as worried about his injured father as much as he was._

_“Is he a new friend?” Grillby asked, playing along, pulling the towel away from the others skull and sitting across from the shorter skeleton with an oversized scarf – Papyrus nodded._

_“He won’t tell me what name he would prefer, just smiles at me and tells his silly puns...” Papyrus sighed troubled, “I even made him spaghetti.”_

_“Perhaps he will tell me a name?” Grillby asked, smiling, his niece used to have an imaginary friend – a flame princess if he could recall. Papyrus looked thoughtful at the others suggestion but then shook his head._

_“Well, perhaps your father could ask your friend?” Grillby then offered with a smile._

_“Yeah, dad is great at coming up with names!” Papyrus said cheerfully taking a hearty bite out of the donut, “He came up with my name after all!”_

* * *

 

Papyrus looked away, fixing up his scarf while he moved quickly into the kitchen to make breakfast for his still sleeping father and his self. His father had discharged himself, much to the dismay of Alphys and Asgore but both had to agree that keeping him bed bound in the lab – just above where the accident happened was not really helping; only time could heal the wounds now.

 When his father was well he always used to leave before Papyrus woke up – and Grillby would often visit Papyrus before he opened for the lunch rush to walk the other to school with his niece Fufu but in the past few months Papyrus’s father had been taking that role. Papyrus grabbed the carton of eggs and frypan, going to make the scrambled eggs that Grillby often made for them when he was over – as he cracked the first egg, he felt the strange unwanted happiness of being able to spend more time with his father. And he felt guilty at the strange happiness that filled his soul at the feeling of looking after someone he holds so dear, keeping them safe.

He was of course sad at the situation that caused his father’s extra time at home though. He would have never wanted his father to be hurt because of his selfish want – that’s what that feeling was, it was selfish.

Papyrus cracked the second egg only to jump back at the sight of the unnatural redness and the partially formed body of a baby chick emerged from the broken egg, splashing in the okay eggs; Papyrus gagged at the sight and immediately took the pan and poured the contents into the trash.

* * *

 

_“Mister Grillby...” Papyrus had to stand on his tip toes to watch the tall monster make a batter for hotcakes – the batter ruined by the unnatural red and smell of a bad egg. Grillby made a noise of annoyance, but acted quickly – with the supply of fresh eggs not that reliable in the underground._

_Grillby had quickly threw out the ruined batter away – looking at the tearful skeleton, the poor child had never got a bad egg before it seemed; the smell seemed to fill the kitchen. Grillby patted the child’s skull gently,_

_“These things happen...” Grillby said softly, trying to comfort the sad child, “Eggs are created to grow baby chickens after all...”_

_“Did it feel pain...?” Papyrus asked, orange tears streaming down his face – Grillby couldn’t stop the soft smile, typical Papyrus, not upset at the ruined batter but of the life that was halted._

_“It was dead long before the egg was cracked open Papyrus...” Grillby clapped his hands together, smiling at Papyrus trying to cheer the other up, “Hey, why don’t we make your dad a big bowl of cereal with milk?”_

_“Maybe the milk will heal his bones quicker!” Papyrus said, cheering up slightly but still sniffling._

_“Sure thing, kiddo.” Grillby smiled at the small skeleton, rubbing the others skull._

* * *

 

Papyrus placed the pan in the sink – turning towards the top cupboard where the box of cereal was stored.

“Cereal it is again...” Papyrus sighed, moving quickly to grab one of the table chairs to act as a step – he was determined to be as tall as his dad one day, he just wished it didn’t take so long for his growth spurt to kick in. He stepped up on the chair, steading himself as the old chair wobbled a little – it stilled finally making Papyrus grin, staring at the closed white cupboard.

He opened the cupboard, grinning at the sight of the familiar mascot of Metatron on the bright pink and glittery box - the box was filled with the performers face in marshmallows and honey coated wheat pieces shaped like heeled boots.

Papyrus liked the cereal but lately he had wanted to try and cook more food from scratch – it’d probably be healthier and Undyne swears by it, and she’s almost the head of the guard and she is only five years older than him. The cereal was a great magic restorer, perfect for a doctor who rarely slept more than the bare minimum – it reminded of Papyrus the times when he was jolted awake finding his father face down in a bowl of cereal without milk, falling asleep half way though eating it.

But as long as the older monster gets some food in him, Papyrus can’t seem to get angry at the bad habits of his father – but now it seems his father doesn’t do anything much but sleep and stare at his boxes of paper work that Alphys didn’t have the backbone to stop him.

Papyrus went to reach for the cereal box, only to still when he heard an odd noise above him, pipes rattling, and the sleepy feet of his father dragging on the floor – he looked up, the light fitting shook with the others steps and  a lone drop of dark liquid dripped slowly down the  glass light fitting. Papyrus sighed, another thing to add to the list to look into – he’ll ask Gerson to look at it, the old turtle knew a thing or two about cracked pipes and plumbing; maybe he’ll even show him how it works.

Papyrus continued, reaching out for the box – except finding nothing. Papyrus turned puzzled, the box was pushed right to the very back of the cupboard, out of reach.

Papyrus could’ve sworn it was closer just a few moments ago – Papyrus leaned further in the small space, now standing on his tippy toes to be able to grab the box. The odd sensation of being stared at from below seemed to fill him – but it was gone the instant he tried to turn.

The chair wobbled under him more harshly – when Papyrus finally grabbed the box, he felt the chair go backwards and taking him with it. He felt like he was in free fall for a moment or so, time slowing down but then stopping.

Papyrus stared at his now glowing blue body in surprise – by the stairwell was the wide eyed and scarred Wing Ding Gaster, papers stuffed in his dressing gown pocket.

* * *

 

“Papyrus, what the heck did you think you were doing?!” Gaster berated the smaller skeleton; Papyrus just stared at his feet – the toppled chair next to him.

“Making breakfast...” Papyrus said softly, his father’s eyes travelled to the box clenched tightly in the smaller skeletons hands – expression softened as he sat down with a soft sigh,

“Well, don’t climb on the chairs like that again – you might’ve cracked your skull...” Gaster stilled in the middle of his triad, raising a hand to the long scar on his own face, wincing in pain.

“Do you want a glass of milk with your pain killers today Daddy?” Papyrus asked, taking the cue to jump to help the other.

“Sure...” Gaster sighed, holding his head like he had a pretty bad headache – turning his head to the chair, and staring at the back leg that gave out from under Papyrus; he had been meaning to get rid of them for  a while now. But he had other things on his mind lately, he was taking the time off work not that well and it was getting harder to concentrate on the work he had at home.

As Papyrus busied himself, Gaster watched him with a small smile – Grillby had been teaching the other cooking and it seemed like the other really enjoyed it, Gaster had been hoping it would distract the other from idolising Undyne. She was a nice girl but he didn’t want Papyrus to deal with human souls at all. Gaster found himself staring at the toppled chair, the sight of feminine feet dangling and the hem of a floral dress in his mind’s eye made him clench his sockets tightly – yes, he needed to get rid of those chairs.

Gaster finally unclenched his sockets and stared at the chair for a long while more, the part that snapped seemed to be eaten away by rot and decay – well, they were picked up from the dump and half of that stuff was water logged anyway, damage  sometimes went unseen.

Papyrus went to the kitchen bench, picking up a small bottle that Alphys prescribed for the pain while the bone was mending together, the staples were straining to keep the bone closed as much as they were designed to. The blast had almost dusted the scientist, being thrown back from when the core unravelled itself only to quickly stabilise itself again – the readings had been shown to be completely normal and as stable as the first day it started turning.

Like the core had a reset button – but with the reset, they were only given more time before it reached the same chaotic end; Alphys was acting as Gaster’s replacement and working day and night to find what caused the core to stable if they couldn’t find a permanent solution.

Gaster was working as much as he could with the state of his injuries and state of mind, asking sometimes for monsters who no one recalled. Papyrus was worried for his father, who had bad days and good days – today was a good day it seemed, the monster was lucid, even thoughtful and no longer in a cationic state.

Papyrus opened the bottle and shook two white pills in his hand and went to pour a glass of milk for his father – placing them in front of the pained monster, who seemed to be staring at the chair for a very long time.

The clink of glass against the table seemed to snap the other out of whatever daze the other was in – Gaster stared at the other like this was the first time he was truly seeing his son.

“Papyrus...when did you get so big?” Gaster asked a wary smile on his skull.

Papyrus shrugged, pouring himself a bowl of cereal.

“It only seemed like it was yesterday when I was putting Sans and you to bed...” Gaster explained, picking up one of the pills – staring at it troubled.

“My imaginary friend, Sans?” Papyrus continued, Sans was a character that Papyrus made up once when he was younger – believing that an older skeleton in a blue hoodie with an affinity with ketchup scared away the scary thing that lived in the walls with really bad puns. But he had long since grown out of that fantasy ideal, his father was the one who gave the being its name. Gaster had said it was a name of someone who was very dear to him, though no one had heard of a monster with that name before.

“No, your brother...” Gaster shook his head at the others explanation, but taking the pills with a swig of cold milk.

“Yeah, I suppose I always pretended he was my brother” Papyrus began to explain gently, his father had been bringing up the imaginary friend more often now – Alphys did say it was possible that as a coping mechanism his father could’ve have adopted the idea that ‘Sans’ was a real monster and was caught in the blast, claiming the other had saved him.

Alphys did say his father had always been logical, and according to all accounts and purposes – Papyrus’s father should’ve been dusted and the former scientist seemed to be obsessed with that fact. Papyrus’s soul seized at that thought though.

“Yes...” Gaster closed his sockets and rubbed between them with his long fingers. Sometimes his father just needed some reminding on that fact.

“You helped me create him; I have the drawing I did – remember?” Papyrus asked, Gaster seemed to pause but then nodded.

 “I’m trying to make sense of that day still...” Gaster said, downing down the glass of milk to get rid of the caulk taste of the pills out of his mouth. Papyrus moved forward and hugged the hunched skeleton, still wincing a little in pain – it saddened Papyrus at seeing the other in pain.

 “It’s okay...” Papyrus said, holding his father tighter. Gaster could feel his gaze being drawn back to the still toppled chair – the weakened point looked too clean cut to be like any rot Gaster had seen before, and the blackened marks even looked like the faint indents of phalanges in the soft wood. Gaster pulled his gaze away from the chair, and hugged his youngest son...though in this timeline it seemed to be his only son.

The drip drops of the water still puddled in the middle of the table, looking inky as well as oily at the same time – it went unnoticed however by the two skeletons.

* * *

 

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	3. Keep your eye on the ball, don't loose track of it

****

* * *

“How are the wounds healing?” Alphys gently asked, looking at her former boss nervously – it was odd seeing the other without the traditional lab coat, but she soldiered on as best as she could. Looking at the gory marks, looking painful and ridged – Alphys hadn’t had to deal with skeletons except when helping...Alphys couldn’t finish that thought though especially with her boss under examination.

Gaster seemed to have a constant slump now, with his height and his baggy casual clothes - all the fabric seemed to swallow up the others slight frame. He didn’t seem to be taking his new stay at home dad persona that well, with the way he righted the Alphys own papers and looked though his own medical records. Alphys looked worriedly at the other, raising a gloved hand to the rough ridges.

Gaster winced, when the other gently touched the raised ridges – still tender even after all this time,

“We might have to do the staples again; it feels like the wound is being pulled apart.” Gaster said, not looking forward to that again, but it was though he could feel the pieces of skull being slowly pulled apart- like cruel fingers digging into the groove of his scar and pulling them apart with all their strength. But that is what it felt like, not what was really happening...right?

The pain happened every morning, like someone or something every night would sit by his bedside – and tug and try and shift the damaged bone, similar to when his newborns used to play with his face and explore it with their little hands. He had found it endearing back then, but this sensation was everything but endearing now. He woke to immense pain, and sometimes the medical staples had been pulled out – covered in dry red marrow.

“It shouldn’t have taken this long to heal...” Alphys hummed worriedly to herself, grabbing some vile of iodine- dabbing a cotton bud – it was an off putting brown colour and made the raised ridges of his skull look badly bruised.

“Perhaps there was some shrapnel still lodged...I won’t lie Dr Gaster, I haven’t really worked on skeleton monsters before...” Alphys muttered, pulling out the x-ray film of Gaster’s skull, but she was certain any of the metal shrapnel was removed.

“Please call me Wing Dings Alphys – I’m not your superior anymore.” Gaster sighed, knowing how uncomfortable the change of status was to her.

“I’d prefer to still call you Dr Gaster, Dr Gaster...” Alphys frowned, “But no matter my skill in this matter, this should’ve healed already...or closed up at least.” Alphys said confused and frustrated.

“Doesn’t help that we are the last known skeleton monsters in the underground...” Gaster hummed.

“There is an option of grafting some extra bone matter or marrow....” Alphys began timidly.

“No – that is not an option.” Gaster responded sternly, pushing himself off the examination table.

“But younger skeletons bone matter is more pliable... perhaps it would be able be fused.” Alphys continued thoughtfully

“That is not an option at all.” Gaster said even more sternly to the small yellow reptile monster – who looked ashamed at what she suggested.

“I’m sorry...” Alphys said, grafting bone was an option that had been brought up before – but the issues was that Gaster would not allow that at all.

“It’s alright, I taught you to think about every option there is.” Gaster said, “I don’t care about scarring, I just want it to heal closed.”

“I understand Dr Gaster...” Alphys nodded.

“...And can we keep that option to ourselves, I don’t want to worry Papyrus.” Gaster said sternly.

“Ah yes.” Alphys nodded, “I’ll see if we can put in some more staples and put you on some stronger pain medication.”

Gaster nodded, as the yellow reptile busied herself – Gaster raised a hand to the painful ridges, knowing full well if Gaster did even consider that possibility – Papyrus would be happy to help. 

He already had lost a child who wanted to help him, he wasn't going to loose another.

* * *

 

 “My parents say that it’s your dad’s fault we have electricity problems” A voice sneered out.

Papyrus looked up from his drawing, to one of the other monster children that decided to surround him during their recess break. It was a small rabbit monster looking haughtily at him, with her group of friends.  This was the type of monster that would not approach him unless in a group of like-minded friends.

 “It’s not his fault, accidents happen.” Papyrus began, looking uncomfortable in this odd confrontation with his classmates; he hadn’t really had the chance to get to know any other monster children that well with his on and off attendance, looking after dad when he had a bad turn. Besides, he felt more useful helping his dad at home anyway – he wished he could just help his dad or even Grillby.

But he didn’t want his dad to get into trouble by the Queen, she had stepped away from most things in the Underground but she still helped with the schooling. Queen Toriel had been a good friend to his father, so he didn't want to make her upset at anything.

“My dad is the smartest monster in the underground, he’s the best!” Papyrus stood up to defend his father, wishing that he had gained in height.

“If he is so great then why isn’t he working at the lab fixing the problem?” A ghost drawled out, asking impossible questions of the small monster – still the smallest in the class, looking the smallest in the oversized red scarf.

“I heard he went bonkers...” A cat said in soft whispers to another child next to him, but the whispers were as searing and frightening as screams to Papyrus – the small skeleton simply stood his ground  and clenched his little mitten covered fists.   

“That’s what my parents said...” Another continued.

“Is he crazy Papyrus?” A curious voice entered the noise that was increasing all around Papyrus.

“Are you crazy, Papyrus?” Another more  scared voice made itself known

“Hey twerps, you better not be messing with Papyrus again!” A voice bellowed, the children jumping in freight and scattering away. Papyrus could feel tears well in the corner of his sockets only to feel a comforting weight of someone’s hand on his shoulder – Papyrus turned to the blue fish monster, her grinning face falling at sight of the fat orange tears dripping down his skull.

“Hey Paps...” Undyne said softly, only to have the smaller skeleton hug her legs tightly.

“Hey you better not be going soft on me.” The head of the royal guard playfully chided the smaller monster, patting the other on his skull.

Undyne then crouched down to Papyrus’s level with a grin; the other was still sniffling,

“Hey, why don’t I talk to your teacher about how you have some important business with the Royal guard and I can finally teach you how to make spaghetti?” Undyne winked at the skeleton.

Papyrus nodded, a small smile appearing on his skull at last,

“Wouldn’t you get into trouble?” Papyrus asked gently, the fish monster just shrugged.

“Nah, it’ll be fine – your dad is in the Hotlands with Alphys today, so I’ll buy you some Nicecream and we can see how they are going.”

Undyne grinned after the little skeleton ran off to get his bag, but paused at the unfinished drawing left abandoned on the ground – it was filled with rough black lines on a white background. Undyne stared at the discarded pencils beside it though, none of them matched that colour though; an odd rustling and shifting noise beside one of the cavern walls made her stare oddly at it. The stone wall looked wet, with drips of dark water cascading down the rock face – the water underground was not unusual but what made her puzzle was that the crack the water was streaming from had a slimy looking black pencil stuck in it.

Papyrus bounced back to Undyne who gestured to the odd placement of the black pencil,

“Got a little excited in your drawing?” Undyne smirked.

“Huh, what are you pointing to?” Papyrus stared confused at Undyne, making Undyne point again only to find the pencil that was in the wall was completely gone. Undyne paused for a moment and turned back to Papyrus with an uneasy smile.

“Let’s get going, there are nicecream’s with our names on it.” Undyne said cheerfully to the little skeleton who cheered, Undyne gave one last look at the wall but followed after the smaller monster ahead. The rough page of black scribbled line was left on the damp ground, becoming quickly waterlogged with the dripping figure staring down onto it and then to the schoolhouse.

* * *

 

“Did you see Undyne take him out of class?”

“Lucky guy.”

“Hey Bunbun what cha think...?” The cat began looking for their friend, “Bunbun?”

“I think she went to get a ball to play with.” The ghost hummed, floating off the ground.

“Really, but that was half an hour ago...” The cat muttered, the group fell into an odd silence only to look up confused again – like they misplaced something important but couldn’t place what went missing.

“Who were we talking about?” The ghost began softly, looking at their friends confused.

“We were talking about Papyrus.” The cat said, though that answer made sense – it still left them puzzled and uneased.

“Why didn’t we ever talk to him before?”  The ghost said sadly and remorseful, “He seems nice...”

It almost felt as though whatever stopped them talking to him has been stolen away, whisked away  like with the infrequent , spluttering, light around the ball shed.

The cat looked ahead to the house they took classes in with the small shed of balls and toys by the side, a lone ball rolled away from the wide open door. It seemed someone forgot to close it after opening it, if the teacher found out, the poor hapless student would get into trouble.

Sadly, unknown to everyone in this timeline – the hapless student was not caught by a teacher nor will they ever will be again.

But it's not like they ever existed anyway...

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